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MDLIAN 2563
(C)
4.
THE VIETNAMESE ACCEPT OVER 1000 PER MONTH: AND
A CASH REINTEGRATION PROGRAMME LINKED SPECIFICALLY TO SMALL PROJECTS IN THE AREAS FROM WHICH MIGRANTS ORIGINATE.
HMA/HANOI ADVISES THAT (A) WILL NOT MEET VIETNAMESE NEEDS, AND THEREFORE NOT/NOT SECURE ORP FOR US. WE DISLIKE THE APPROACH AT (B), WHICH SMACKS TOO MUCH OF RANSOM AND WOULD, WE BELIEVE, MEET PARTICULAR STRONG RESISTANCE IN LEGCO. OPTION (C) OFFERS A PRAGMATIC APPROACH THAT COULD BE DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY AT THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THEREFORE THE ONE THAT WE PROPOSE TO EXPLORE FURTHER.
5. OUR ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING CAMP CASELOAD SHOWS THAT 80 PER CENT OF THOSE IN THE CAMPS COME FROM 6 PROVINCES. HMA HANOI BELIEVES THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY SOME 16 KEY COMMUNITIES WITHIN THOSE PROVINCES TO WHOM ASSISTANCE FROM HONG KONG COULD BE TARGETED. THE AIM OF THIS WOULD BE TO FORESTALL ANY RELUCTANCE IN HANOI TO GO AHEAD WITH ORP II BECAUSE OF PROVINCIAL CONCERNS OVER REINTEGRATION PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND. HMA HANOI HAS UNDERTAKEN TO EXAMINE IN EARLY APRIL WITH EC EXPERTS AND MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS, WITH CENTRAL VIETNAM AS THE FIRST PRIORITY, WHAT SORT OF PROJECTS MIGHT THEORETICALLY BE UNDERTAKEN WITHIN A HONG KONG ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME AIMED AT ACHIEVING MAXIMUM
PRACTICAL EFFECT IN KEY COMMUNITIES FOR MINIMUM COST. WE HAVE SAID THAT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO LEND HIM ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT IN EARLY APRIL TO HELP WORK UP DETAILS OF SUCH A PROPOSAL. HMA/HANOI WILL ALSO CONSIDER WHETHER THERE ARE IDENTIFIABLE WESTERN NGOS WORKING IN THE KEY AREAS WHO COULD BE USED AS A CHANNEL FOR THIS HKG ASSISTANCE, ON THE LIENS OF THE 80:20 SCHEME SET UP BY HMG.
6. WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT GETTING APPROVAL FOR FUNDING OF ANY SUCH PROJECT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT IN LEGCO TERMS: MORE FOR THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE SUMS INVOLVED. A SUBSTANTIAL MINORITY IN LEGCO (CERTAINLY THE UDHK, I.E. ALMOST ALL THE ELECTED MEMBERS), WILL USE ANY ATTEMPT TO GET FUNDS TO ATTACK HMG'S RECORD ON
MEETING THE COSTS OF FIRST ASYLUM HERE OVER THE PAST DECADE OR SO. (THEIR PARTY PLATFORM IS THAT HMG SHOULD PAY ALL THE COSTS). WE WOULD TRY TO DEFLECT THIS BY EMPHASISING WHAT HMG HAS DONE BY WAY OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO US AND BY HELPING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AS A WHOLE. BUT THERE CAN BE NO/NO GUARANTEE THAT THE UDHK POSITION WILL NOT/NOT FIND SUPPORT IN OTHER QUARTERS IN LEGCO, AND MAKE ANY SUCH PROPOSAL STILL-BORN. HOWEVER, SUBJECT TO
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